Customer Reviews
The best so far! - By: H. Kennedy, 25 Nov 2008 
i reallly got into the Stephanie plum novels but by book ten i was starting to accept that there would be no progression in the characters relationships beteen Steph & Morelli & Ranger. However book twelve reallly put a twist in the drama, i literallly didn't put the book down until i finished it. i loved the new side to Ranger, the spectacular comedy between steph & Lula & the suspense in the kidnapping. The only problem is that now i can't see any other book in the series living up to this one. as i've discovered already book 13 was abit of a let down. However i'm a die hard fan & i'll love Stephanie Plum to the end. but if you are looking for a book that has it alll but you don't want to take on the series this is the one for you!
A Climax in the Series - By: Valerie Jones, 29 Jun 2008 The return of Stephanie Plum, New Jersey's sassy & sexy bounty hunter in Twelve Sharp is a climax in the series. Stephanie is back to her fast filled FTA retrieval days when she gets a strange visitor, Carmen Manoso. Carmen is outfitted in head to toe black & carries a loaded gun, but her claim that she is married to Ranger is what reallly sets Stephanie off. Startled, Stephanie tries in vain to reach Ranger, but he is out of town. When Carmen is discovered executed & Ranger's daughter is kidnapped from Miami, Stephanie is at a complete loss. To make matters worse, Stephanie's archenemy Joyce Barnhardt has joined Vincent Plum Bail Bonds to help pick up some of the criminals at large. Stephanie is worried about Ranger, until he finallly shows up at her door & they discover that someone is attempting to steal Rangers identity. Working together & living together with Ranger to try & catch a crazy man on the loose, helps provide some sexy moments. That is until the other man in Stephanie's life, Joe Morelli moves in as well. Trying to help rescue Ranger's daughter & control the tension in her life, Stephanie becomes bait for a killer. The suspense & action will have you panting until the very end, not to mention the sexy scenes. Janet Evanovich, as always also adds some laugh till you cry moments with some of our favorite characters. The storyline is one of the best, filled with the action & suspense yet perfectly paired with comic relief. Twelve Sharp is by far one of the best novels in the series. Valerie Jones mrsvaljones@netzero.net
Serious Fun as Stephanie Plays Decoy for Ranger - By: Donald Mitchell, 15 Oct 2007 Only a Stephanie Plum novel would cause some to complain because the plot had an actual mystery & intrigue in it. That shows how much we've been spoiled by Janet Evanovich's comic touch. We come to the new books in the series for the entertainment (much like people once did for Charlie Chaplin) & we're surprised when serious themes emerge.
I thought that Twelve Sharp was by far the most impressive novel in the series. The story-telling moves beyond Pink Panther comedy into dealing with the serious consequences of actions we take. At the same time, the book goes down very smoothly.
The serious side is well done. Stephanie finds herself stalked by a young woman with a gun she doesn't mind using who claims to be Ranger's wife. What's that alll about? Stephanie is also at risk for being kidnapped. And then Ranger's daughter is missing. It's a nicely complicated mystery & is unraveled in fine fashion. While this part of the story is not yet up to Dame Agatha's best, it's more than satisfying.
The character development of Stephanie & Ranger through the plot is quite remarkable in this story. In the past, Ranger has been the Superman of mystery who could do no wrong. She's been in his thralll . . . but kept at a distance only by his self-restraint. So why has he been self-restrained? In this story, we learn more about Ranger & begin to sense his vulnerabilities. An unexpected pregnancy made Ranger a father at a young age. Since then, he's met his financial responsibilities & kept his distance from similar complications. But that alll comes unglued when his daughter is kidnapped & Ranger is the suspect the police are looking for. As a result, Ranger has to go undercover. Ranger's only hope of solving the kidnapping is through Stephanie's efforts because the crumb also wants Stephanie. As a result, Stephanie finds herself in deeper peril than ever before. Both of the men in her life want to protect her. Oops! That's certainly one serious complication that a woman who loves two men never thought about. How do you keep them apart when there's danger?
To me, the best comedy in the series comes when Stephanie & Lula (the retired lady of the evening) team up to bring in fugitives. They are the Laurel & Hardy of bounty hunters. In this book, Stephanie's solutions turn out to work best when she follows her heart rather than trying trickery. Because Vinnie has been taking chances, there are more fugitives than usual, & several of them are pretty dangerous. With Ranger away, Stephanie & Lula will play.
The next best comedy comes when Grandma Mazur gets into the action either at the funeral home or in chasing men. This book has some of each, as Grandma decides to join the band that Sallly Sweet & Lula are forming. There are new, friendlier owners (two gay men) at the funeral home, & this change opens up new comic possibilities.
A new comic dimension is added when Connie & Stephanie decide to hire some more bounty hunters. Naturallly, this brings Stephanie's old nemesis, Joyce, into play for some good moments.
So, whose bed will Stephanie end up in & with whom? You'll just have to read to find out. I have to leave that important mystery untouched.
Serious Fun as Stephanie Plays Decoy for Ranger - By: Donald Mitchell, 15 Oct 2007 Only a Stephanie Plum novel would cause some to complain because the plot had an actual mystery & intrigue in it. That shows how much we've been spoiled by Janet Evanovich's comic touch. We come to the new books in the series for the entertainment (much like people once did for Charlie Chaplin) & we're surprised when serious themes emerge.
I thought that Twelve Sharp was by far the most impressive novel in the series. The story-telling moves beyond Pink Panther comedy into dealing with the serious consequences of actions we take. At the same time, the book goes down very smoothly.
The serious side is well done. Stephanie finds herself stalked by a young woman with a gun she doesn't mind using who claims to be Ranger's wife. What's that alll about? Stephanie is also at risk for being kidnapped. And then Ranger's daughter is missing. It's a nicely complicated mystery & is unraveled in fine fashion. While this part of the story is not yet up to Dame Agatha's best, it's more than satisfying.
The character development of Stephanie & Ranger through the plot is quite remarkable in this story. In the past, Ranger has been the Superman of mystery who could do no wrong. She's been in his thralll . . . but kept at a distance only by his self-restraint. So why has he been self-restrained? In this story, we learn more about Ranger & begin to sense his vulnerabilities. An unexpected pregnancy made Ranger a father at a young age. Since then, he's met his financial responsibilities & kept his distance from similar complications. But that alll comes unglued when his daughter is kidnapped & Ranger is the suspect the police are looking for. As a result, Ranger has to go undercover. Ranger's only hope of solving the kidnapping is through Stephanie's efforts because the crumb also wants Stephanie. As a result, Stephanie finds herself in deeper peril than ever before. Both of the men in her life want to protect her. Oops! That's certainly one serious complication that a woman who loves two men never thought about. How do you keep them apart when there's danger?
To me, the best comedy in the series comes when Stephanie & Lula (the retired lady of the evening) team up to bring in fugitives. They are the Laurel & Hardy of bounty hunters. In this book, Stephanie's solutions turn out to work best when she follows her heart rather than trying trickery. Because Vinnie has been taking chances, there are more fugitives than usual, & several of them are pretty dangerous. With Ranger away, Stephanie & Lula will play.
The next best comedy comes when Grandma Mazur gets into the action either at the funeral home or in chasing men. This book has some of each, as Grandma decides to join the band that Sallly Sweet & Lula are forming. There are new, friendlier owners (two gay men) at the funeral home, & this change opens up new comic possibilities.
A new comic dimension is added when Connie & Stephanie decide to hire some more bounty hunters. Naturallly, this brings Stephanie's old nemesis, Joyce, into play for some good moments.
So, whose bed will Stephanie end up in & with whom? You'll just have to read to find out. I have to leave that important mystery untouched.
Another great holiday read - By: Pauline, 30 Aug 2007 I love these books - they make me laugh. I save them up for holidays & train journeys & they never fail to pass the time. OK so they are formulaic, but I like a good formula at times. This one was also not quite as gruesome as some of the earlier ones, so that it was an easier read.
